


Free Fall

by alessandralee



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-17
Updated: 2013-12-17
Packaged: 2018-01-05 00:26:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1087411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alessandralee/pseuds/alessandralee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a day off, Grant endeavors to help Jemma overcome her fear of heights.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Free Fall

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ferggirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ferggirl/gifts).



As a rule, Grant Ward isn’t the biggest fan of days off. The most he usually does with them is take the time to finish his mission reports, get in some extra rounds of training, or catch up on his laundry. A couple years ago, he was forced to take time off after being shot in the leg. He spent four days building model airplanes in between doses of painkillers that knocked him about before he was begging SHIELD to take him back in at least a limited capacity. He didn’t care if he had to organize weather reports for agents on missions in other countries, as long as he didn’t have any more agonizing down time.

Needless to say, the 48 hours the team currently had off at one of the organization’s secure facilities were already driving him up the wall. And it had only been 11 hours since Skye and Coulson left to do something they refused to fill him in on. Since their departure, Grant had finished all of Skye’s training evaluations (in triplicate), washed the four days worth of dirty clothes that he hadn’t gotten to yet, and put himself through two intense training sessions. He was just about to try and track down one of the facility’s agents in hopes of finding something to keep busy with, when he spotted a pile of books lying abandoned on the conference room table.

Of the six books, three were large and thick like textbooks, two were smaller hardcover book, and one was a very slim paperback. There was a note on the top book addressed to Jemma Simmons and all of them had either the word “phobia” or “fear” embossed on their spines.

He immediately knows what they’re for. It’s been three months since Jemma leapt out of The Bus to an almost certain death in a desperate attempt to save all of their lives. And it’s been three months of her doing her best to avoid heights as best as possible. Grant had heard Fitz confront her about refusing to look out of the plane’s windows as they landed. And when she couldn’t avoid them, Grant could basically feel the fear roll off of her. That usually resulted in him doing his best to distract her while she climbed to wherever she needed to be. It was helpful in the short-term, but it didn’t help much in the long run.

But today he was going to do more than distract her.

___________

When Jemma makes it to the kitchen for breakfast shortly before 9 AM, Grant is already there. He isn’t eating or even reading the newspaper that’s sitting in front of him. He’s just sitting there.

“Good morning,” she greets him.

“You too. What are your plans for the day.”

“Well, Dr. Perez said that she’d give Fitz and I a tour of her lab and one of the containment chambers. She’s developed a way to use magnetic fields to securely contain alien object that can’t normally be held for extended periods of time.”

“Cancel that.” Jemma’s not fond of taking unexplained orders from Ward. She can deal with it when they’re out in the field; he usually knows best then. But it’s her day off.

“And why would I do that?” Her normally sunny disposition flares into anger.

“We,” he lifts the pile of books out of their hiding spot in his lap and drops them onto the kitchen table, “are conquering your fear of heights.”

She stares at the pile of books for a few moments before giving him a hesitant “okay.” He knows her ability to work has been affected by this new fear. And she knows Ward has been lingering around her in field in case she needs him to distract her. And, while she certainly enjoys his company, it’s a bit embarrassing for her to need him just because she has to climb into a tree to take samples. Not to mention the fact that her over-active imagination has produced more than a few scenarios in which her fear of heights could very well put her life in danger. With all that considered, she willing to take the help that he’s offering. After all, it’s his calming voice that’s been helping her more than any of the coping mechanisms she’s found in her research.

Still, she seriously considers backing out when Ward tells her they’re going to roof of a machinery storage building. Compared to the high-tech containment buildings she was planning on spending her day in, which basically glow in the cold sunlight, this building looks ready to fall apart. It can’t be safe for him to take her up there. Suddenly, magnetic fields seem even more interesting than usual.

When they reach the stairs, which have grow too rusty to make Jemma comfortable, she actually tries to turn back. Unfortunately, her exit route is quickly cut off by one of Grant’s strong arms.

“You’re the one who ordered six books on beating phobias. And I’m willing to bet that’s not the only research you’ve been doing. It’s time to take the leap. Figuratively and literally,” he reminds her.

She sighs and turns towards the stairs. Three steps up and she swears she can hear them creaking under her weight. She starts picturing them falling out from under her before she reaches the top. Halfway up, she starts lightly testing each step before putting her full weight on it. Ward is a reassuring presence at her back, and the only reason she hasn’t turned around yet.

“They’re completely safe, Jemma,” his voice is soft and calm. “This is SHIELD. This is a multi-billion dollar facility with some of the most advanced technology in the world. They’re not skimping on the upkeep.”

His hand presses gently on the small of her back and he urges her forward. It feels comforting to have him there, and a relaxing warm spreads out from the spot where his hand rests. She slowly makes her way up to the rood access door, his hand never leaving its position on her back.

The first thing Jemma notices when she reaches the roof is that it’s much more windy at this height than it was when she was on the ground. She could easily lose her balance and be pushed over the side of the building. 

She tries to push those thoughts out of her head.

Grant’s hand leaves her back and now it feels colder than ever. Fortunately, that hand almost immediately grabs one of hers. He pulls her along with him to the far edge of the roof. Surprisingly, she’s momentarily distracted enough to keep from worrying about how high up they are. She’s almost relaxed.

That calm only lasts until the peers over the edge. Logically, she knows that they’re only two stories up, and whatever that blue padding he’s had placed underneath them is more than enough to comfortably break her fall. In fact, a few months ago, she might have even enjoyed jumping onto it. But that doesn’t stop the way her heart feels like it’s going to beat out of her chest. She’s tried fighting this with logic. It doesn’t work.

She has to force herself to look away from the edge. She focuses her attention on Grant.

“What now?” she asks. She knows full well what he’s going to say. It’s the most extreme suggestion she’s found in her research, and the one she’s been most desperate to avoid.

“You jump.” Even though she saw it coming, she winces at the suggestion.

“Absolutely not.” Even though she’s always known that this is what they came here to do, she just can’t forcer her feet to move. She’s not sure she can make herself go back down the stairs, much less fling herself off the side of the rood. 

“Fine,” Grant says and for a moment, Jemma thinks she’s won. She didn’t expect him to back down so easily. But then he grabs her hand again, “then we both jump.”

He steps up on the ledge at the very end of the roof, then pulls her up with him. If she focuses on his face and his voice, rather than the wind and the drop she can’t quite see, she can make herself join him.

“On the count of three.” 

She nods in understanding.

“One. Two,” his arm jerks out of her hand and around her waist. Quickly, he lifts her just enough so that when he jumps, she follows. He doesn’t wait to get to three.

She’s surprised for maybe half a second. But even after she realizes what’s happening, she doesn’t feel all that scared. Not in his arms.

After all, he’s told her before that he’ll catch her if she falls.

And she believes it.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ferggirl, who gave me the prompt "fear of heights."


End file.
